ARA: Considering egg donation

After a lot of thinking and soul searching, I am seriously considering becoming an egg donor. While most of me really wants to do this, part of me is second guessing it.

Starting when I was a little girl, my biggest goal in life was to be a mother. Thankfully, I have been blessed with two healthy, beautiful children. If, for some reason, I was ever told that dream would not be possible, I most certainly would have been crushed so I truly feel for anyone who is in that position. I would love to be able to help someone feel and experience the same joy I feel each time I look at my own children. While being a parent is very trying at times, it’s also the biggest, hardest and most rewarding thing a person do. Yes, there is also the fact that donors are compensated. I’m not going to lie and say the money doesn’t interest me because it does and would certainly be of benefit to my family.

Part of me is second guessing it because of the idea that I could possibly have children out there that I don’t know. What if children were produced from my donation in the near future and years down the line, my children somehow meet those children…although that is highly unlikely, that would be so weird to me. Also, what if the child produced from donation is somehow abused by its family? I don’t know if I could forgive myself for that. I know these reasons may sound silly but they are issues I have thought about.

I really would love to be able to help someone have the family they have always dreamed of but this is a HUGE commitment both physically and emotionally so I would love to hear some experiences of other people (both donors and recipients). Are my reasons for second guessing this decision unreasonable?